1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to improvements in automobile sun visors.
2. Description of the Prior Art
Automobile sun visors serve to shade the eyes of a vehicle occupant from destructive components of visible light, namely direct sun light and glare produced by reflections of sun light. Generally, automobile sun visors consist of non-transmissive sheets of material positioned between the occupant of the automobile and the sun light directed toward the occupant's eyes. Nearly all automobile sun visors are pivotable so they can be pivoted away from the occupant's line of vision, if the occupant desires.
Many attempts have been made to modify the general form of the automobile sun visor to assist a vehicle occupant in avoiding irritating sun light and reflected glare from directly entering his eyes.
Externally applied extentions have been produced to increase the effective area of an automobile sun visor. Barnhart (U.S. Pat. No. 3,853,370), discloses a sun visor extension for vehicles. The extension consists of a clamping base designed to attach to an automobile sun visor, with a retractable and extendable visor sheet attached to the clamping base. The sun visor extension allows an occupant to effectively increase the size of an existing automobile sun visor by extending the visor sheet. The visor sheet may be either opaque or tinted. A completely opaque visor sheet is employed to assist an occupant who sits low in the vehicle in completely shading his eyes from direct sun light. A tinted visor sheet may be utilized to shade an occupant's eyes from sun light when the sun is low on the horizon.
Karford (U.S. Pat. No. 4,792,176), shows an extension unit for a sun visor. The extension unit includes two shields and is externally applied to an automobile sun visor. One shield is opaque and may be extended in a horizontal direction to block irritating light from entering an occupant's eyes. The other shield may be either tinted, polarized or completely opaque, and may be extended and retracted in the vertical direction to block the passage of light from entering an occupant's eyes or to reduce glare, depending on whether the shield is constructed of tinted, polarized or completely opaque material.
Although certain improvements to automobile sun visors have been attempted, I have discovered that they have many drawbacks and do not address various problems. Externally applied sun visor extension units are costly and inconvenient. These extension units must incorporate fastening devices, such is clamping bases or adhesive type surfaces, which drive up the production cost. Additionally, as a result of external application, the externally applied extension units add uncontemplated weight and increase the thickness of the existing automobile sun visor. Consequently, an automobile sun visor having an extension unit attached to it does not properly rest against the roof of the vehicle when pivoted out of the occupant's line of vision, and may undesireably fall or pivot back into the occupant's line of vision as a result of the added weight produced by the extension unit. Moreover, the previously discussed extension units do not allow an occupant to simultaneously block direct sunlight from being directly transmitted to his eyes, substantially inhibit sun light from being directly transmitted to his eyes and view objects through a transparent, polarized glare shield.